Supporting Actor

Supporting Actor

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NOMINEES: CHRISTIAN BALE, "THE FIGHTER" JOHN HAWKES, "WINTER'S BONE" JEREMY RENNER, "THE TOWN" MARK RUFFALO, "THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT" GEOFFREY RUSH, "THE KING'S SPEECH" MATTHEW: Specificity is an attribute I really admire in movies. As James Coughlin, Renner nails a role so specific he does more than support: He elevates an otherwise unexceptional movie to something like life. CATHARINE: Bale's manic performance as Dicky Eklund would be even more heartbreaking if he weren't somehow seen as the golden child of the family. However, I wish I hadn't seen an interview with Bale and Wahlberg; Bale ridiculed the interviewer and walked out. Maybe Bale's a great actor, or maybe he wasn't reaching very much for this role? KATE: Bale's gritty, heartfelt portrayal of the drug-addled older brother seeking his redemption almost completely overshadows the great acting that Mark Wahlberg put into this movie. However, I wouldn't be surprised to see Rush on the stage on Oscar night. JORDAN: I am not a Bale fan. To me, he gives off a vibe of "I'm a tremendously brilliant actor and intellectually superior about my craft." It's a tough choice for me between Renner and Ruffalo, but I'm going with Ruffalo. Apart from a stellar performance, he's overdue and it'd be awesome for the Oscars to reward comedic work more often. ELLIOTT: Perfect role for Bale. I don't know how to explain it -- he was just very good. AMANDA: I thought both Renner and Rush were fantastic, but this is all Bale. I walked out of this movie thinking Bale would win the Oscar. He WAS Dicky.

NOMINEES: CHRISTIAN BALE, "THE FIGHTER" JOHN HAWKES, "WINTER'S BONE" JEREMY RENNER, "THE TOWN" MARK RUFFALO, "THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT" GEOFFREY RUSH, "THE KING'S SPEECH" MATTHEW: Specificity is an attribute I really admire in movies. As James Coughlin, Renner nails a role so specific he does more than support: He elevates an otherwise unexceptional movie to something like life. CATHARINE: Bale's manic performance as Dicky Eklund would be even more heartbreaking if he weren't somehow seen as the golden child of the family. However, I wish I hadn't seen an interview with Bale and Wahlberg; Bale ridiculed the interviewer and walked out. Maybe Bale's a great actor, or maybe he wasn't reaching very much for this role? KATE: Bale's gritty, heartfelt portrayal of the drug-addled older brother seeking his redemption almost completely overshadows the great acting that Mark Wahlberg put into this movie. However, I wouldn't be surprised to see Rush on the stage on Oscar night. JORDAN: I am not a Bale fan. To me, he gives off a vibe of "I'm a tremendously brilliant actor and intellectually superior about my craft." It's a tough choice for me between Renner and Ruffalo, but I'm going with Ruffalo. Apart from a stellar performance, he's overdue and it'd be awesome for the Oscars to reward comedic work more often. ELLIOTT: Perfect role for Bale. I don't know how to explain it -- he was just very good. AMANDA: I thought both Renner and Rush were fantastic, but this is all Bale. I walked out of this movie thinking Bale would win the Oscar. He WAS Dicky. (Getty)

NOMINEES: CHRISTIAN BALE, "THE FIGHTER" JOHN HAWKES, "WINTER'S BONE" JEREMY RENNER, "THE TOWN" MARK RUFFALO, "THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT" GEOFFREY RUSH, "THE KING'S SPEECH" MATTHEW: Specificity is an attribute I really admire in movies. As James Coughlin, Renner nails a role so specific he does more than support: He elevates an otherwise unexceptional movie to something like life. CATHARINE: Bale's manic performance as Dicky Eklund would be even more heartbreaking if he weren't somehow seen as the golden child of the family. However, I wish I hadn't seen an interview with Bale and Wahlberg; Bale ridiculed the interviewer and walked out. Maybe Bale's a great actor, or maybe he wasn't reaching very much for this role? KATE: Bale's gritty, heartfelt portrayal of the drug-addled older brother seeking his redemption almost completely overshadows the great acting that Mark Wahlberg put into this movie. However, I wouldn't be surprised to see Rush on the stage on Oscar night. JORDAN: I am not a Bale fan. To me, he gives off a vibe of "I'm a tremendously brilliant actor and intellectually superior about my craft." It's a tough choice for me between Renner and Ruffalo, but I'm going with Ruffalo. Apart from a stellar performance, he's overdue and it'd be awesome for the Oscars to reward comedic work more often. ELLIOTT: Perfect role for Bale. I don't know how to explain it -- he was just very good. AMANDA: I thought both Renner and Rush were fantastic, but this is all Bale. I walked out of this movie thinking Bale would win the Oscar. He WAS Dicky.